Cranberry Walnut Orange Bread

So, I know by now most of you who are cooking Thanksgiving dinner already have all your ducks in a row. You probably have all your courses planned, your grocery list written and your place settings made. You watched The Pioneer Woman kick Bobby Flay’s behind last week, and are armed and ready with your turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and pie. But…..what’s one more carbohydrate gonna hurt? (wink wink) I feel compelled to share this recipe with you today for several reasons. The first being that Thanksgiving is a few days away and this cranberry walnut orange bread would be a lovely addition to a breadbasket. The second reason is that I just love this bread. I really do. It’s probably my favorite quick bread ever, and I look forward to baking it every single year just as soon as fresh cranberries hit the market. The original recipe is from the pastry chef I worked under while completing my culinary school externship back in 2008. Remember that? I don’t. It’s a good thing I have this blog to jog my memory sometimes. Anyway, you must bake this bread! It’s slightly sweet and not overly-crumbly—the perfect vehicle for whipped cream cheese, apricot preserves or softened honey butter. I especially love the crunch of the walnuts in this! And, dare I say it makes a stellar French toast to boot? Just drench two day old slices in milk, egg and vanilla and drizzle with maple syrup. Oh my…oh oh my. I’m totally doing that on Tuesday morning and you should, too. Well? What are you waiting for! Get thee to the kitchen and get your bake on! Cranberry Walnut Orange Bread makes 1 loaf 2 cups all purpose flour 2 cups fresh cranberries zest of one orange 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 4 ounces butter, melted 1 egg 3/4 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup roughly chopped walnuts Preheat oven to 350. Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, orange zest, walnuts and cranberries in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the melted butter, granulated sugar and egg. Pour wet ingredients in with the dry ingredients and mix to combine. Note that the dough will be on the dry side and almost resemble sugar cookie dough. Press the dough into a greased loaf pan and bake for about an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes. The top of the loaf will be a rich golden brown. Let cool before slicing. Source: Jenna @ Eat Live Run.com